# swipe

Pronunciation: say "SWYP" /swaɪp/

## Verb

1. To control a touch screen by drawing a finger quickly across its surface.
   - Simple: To move a finger quickly across a touch screen to control it.
   - _She swiped the map sideways to reveal the rest of the route._
   - _Users swipe down to refresh the feed._
2. To scan or register a card by sliding it through a reader.
   - Simple: To slide a plastic card through a machine that reads it.
   - _Employees swipe their badges each morning to log their arrival._
   - _The cashier swiped my credit card through the terminal._
3. To steal or snatch something, usually quickly and without permission. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To take something that is not yours, often quickly.
   - _He swiped a handful of fries off her plate._
   - _Thieves swipe unattended phones in crowded cafes._
4. To strike something hard with a broad, sweeping motion.
   - Simple: To hit something hard with a wide, sweeping movement.
   - _The tiger swiped the antelope with a single powerful blow._
   - _Players swipe the ball away with the flat of the bat._
7. To make a quick grabbing or batting motion at something.
   - Simple: To reach out and try to grab or hit something quickly.
   - _The toddler swiped at the bubbles floating past._
   - _Bears swipe at salmon as the fish leap upstream._
10. To indicate romantic interest in someone on a dating app by swiping their profile to the right. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To show that you like someone on a dating app by sliding their photo to the right.
   - _He swiped her the moment her photo appeared on the screen._
   - _Plenty of users swipe matches they never bother to message._

## Noun

5. A single movement of the finger drawn quickly across a touch screen to issue a command.
   - Simple: A quick move of your finger across a touch screen to control it.
   - _Each swipe advances the slideshow to the next image._
   - _A downward swipe refreshes the page._
6. A single instance of passing a card through a card reader.
   - Simple: A single time you slide a card through a machine that reads it.
   - _The system logs every swipe at the entrance._
   - _Her first swipe failed, so she tried the card again._
8. A forceful blow delivered in a sweeping motion, such as with a bat or club.
   - Simple: A hard hit made with a wide, sweeping motion, like one from a bat or club.
   - _A single swipe of the club sent the ball far down the field._
   - _The lion felled its prey with one swipe._
9. A quick grab, bat, or sweeping motion made with the hand or paw.
   - Simple: A quick grabbing or batting movement made with the hand or paw.
   - _He took a swipe at the ball as it rolled past._
   - _The dog's playful swipe knocked the cup over._
11. A critical remark or verbal attack directed at someone. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: An insulting or critical remark aimed at someone.
   - _The review included a sharp swipe at the director's earlier films._
   - _During the debate she took a swipe at her opponent's record._
12. A rough guess or quick estimate. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A rough guess made without careful thought.
   - _Give me a swipe at the total cost before we start._
   - _Her swipe at the crowd size turned out to be close._
13. Weak, poor-quality beer or other inferior alcoholic drink.
   - Simple: Cheap, weak, low-quality beer or other bad alcoholic drink.
   - _Nobody wanted the cheap swipe the tavern served._
   - _They brewed a thin swipe from the leftover grain._

## Verb

14. To drink. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To drink something, especially alcohol.

## Origin

This comes from earlier swip, from Middle English swippen ("to move violently"), from Old English swipian ("to scourge, strike, beat, lash"), tracing back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to bend, turn, sway, or sweep." It is cognate with German schwippen ("to whip") and related to sweep and swoop.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/swipe (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).